Charles de Gaulle restored France’s honor, Simon Abkarian says

Acclaimed French-Armenian actor, playwright and director Simon Abkarian is among the honorary guests of the 23rd Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival, whose opening ceremony he attended on July 13.

Abkarian, whose career in theatre and cinema spans nearly half a century, will present De Gaulle: Tilting Iron to festival audiences on July 16. The film had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.

Directed by Antonin Baudry, the historical biographical drama stars Abkarian as General Charles de Gaulle.

The film recounts the events of June 1940, when, amid France’s capitulation, the then little-known general left for London to launch the Free France movement and lead resistance to the Nazi occupation.

Speaking to reporters, Abkarian said history and time would ultimately show how necessary a film about Charles de Gaulle was for France. Filmmakers, he noted, do not necessarily ask whether a film is needed; they make films about subjects they consider important.

“De Gaulle is a film about freedom, pride, struggle, humanity, heroism and love for one’s homeland,” the actor said.

Abkarian acknowledged that it was difficult to explain in just a few sentences how he came to fully understand de Gaulle and embody him on screen. He said the general’s struggle resonated deeply with him.

“He was fighting for his country, and unfortunately, we Armenians know very well what that means. My Armenian identity lies at the heart of who I am as an actor and of my profession. I also know Lebanese and French culture and the diaspora very well,” he said, adding that all these experiences inform his performances.

“Charles de Gaulle was a man who refused to accept defeat and restored his country’s honor. He saved not only France, but also France’s honor,” Abkarian stressed.

Commenting on Golden Apricot, the actor emphasized the importance of holding such film festivals in Armenia and expressed hope that the festival would continue to grow and develop.

“We have many stories to tell. Both Armenia and the diaspora are rich in stories, and we must claim our place in cinema not only through films about the Armenian Genocide, but also by telling stories about who we are and what makes us distinctive. Others should understand that we are a people rich in history, struggle, literature, art and technology,” Abkarian said.

Simon Abkarian began his artistic career in the early 1980s in the United States before continuing his work at Ariane Mnouchkine’s legendary Théâtre du Soleil in France.

Since the 1990s, he has also built a successful career in film and television in both France and the United States. He has worked with directors including Cédric Klapisch, Atom Egoyan, Robert Guédiguian, Sally Potter and Fatih Akin.

Among the prominent Armenian figures he has portrayed are painter Arshile Gorky and resistance fighter Missak Manouchian.

Abkarian has received some of French theatre’s highest honors, including the Molière Award for Best Actor in 2001. In 2020, he received Molière awards for his work as a director and Francophone playwright.